Four-star Wasps sting Blue Toon

Lewis Kemp

Peterhead’s league campaign got off to a frustrating start, as they succumbed 4-0 to Alloa on the opening day of the season.

The Toon started poorly, falling behind within eight minutes of the kick-off, and never really recovered.

Alloa’s Jordan Kirkpatrick struck a left footed volley which curled straight into the top corner past a hapless Graeme Smith for the first goal.

It got even worse for Jim McInally’s side minutes later, as Kevin Cawley made it 2-0 to Alloa in the 13th minute.

Greig Spence collected the ball at the edge of the area, and his cross across the face of goal was met by Cawley, who thundered it into the net.

Cawley continued to be a thorn in Peterhead’s side, threatening with a low driven effort that skimmed past the left hand post.

It was Kirkpatrick instead of Cawley however, who got Alloa’s 3rd goal just before half time. The winger hit an outstanding strike from outside the box- a strike which Smith had no chance of saving.

McInally brought on Leighton McIntosh for the second half, with his attacking influence spreading throughout the team as Peterhead started the brighter of the two.

An in swinging corner from Jamie Stevenson in the 46thminute was cleared before falling to Steven Noble at the edge of the box.

Noble smacked a left footed drive towards the corner of the goal, but it was pawed away by Neil Parry.

Peterhead’s bright spell didn’t last long, as Alloa slowly but surely started to dominate proceedings just like they had the first.

The killer blow came in the 69th minute, with substitute Isaac Layne netting the hosts 4th goal of the day. The Englishman found himself in space, slotting it calmly past Smith and into the bottom right hand corner.

Peterhead had a couple of chances to spare their blushes towards the end- most notably Leighton McIntosh’s low shot in the 81st minute that was hit straight at Parry.

When asked if he could take any positives from the match, McInally replied: “Aye, it was only four.”

The Toon gaffer went on to add: “We were beaten by the better team. Their finishing was clinical and we defended poorly as well. The goal just before half time was a sore one as we’d been having a good spell in the game at that point. Alloa were too clever for us early doors and we never really recovered from that.”

Jordon Brown further emphasised just how disappointing a day it had been for his team: “We know were miles better than that performance. We’ve let ourselves down today and we need to bounce back with Tuesday’s game and put today’s result behind us.”